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| United States Patent |
6,085,124
|
|
Choi
|
July 4, 2000
|
Automatic parking system
Abstract
The present invention provides an automatic parking system in which the
computer, the parking ticket issuer, and the parking ticket recognizer are
connected in a network such that each unit exchanges information as it
needs, and then the system controlling processes of loading and unloading
a car, issuing the parking ticket, recognizing the parking ticket, and
calculating the fee for ensuring accuracy of the calculation and
convenience of the usage. The parking system includes a keyboard, a mouse,
a database for storing vehicle number data, which are input from the
keyboard, and loading information data, which are received in loading a
car, in each respective data field, a display for displaying the
information data, a data processor connected to the parking installation
controller for processing car loading/unloading information data, a
loading/unloading control processor for controlling operation of the
parking installation controller, a calculating processor for calculating
and displaying a parking fee, a parking ticket issuer for issuing the
parking ticket, and a parking ticket recognizer for scanning the parking
ticket in unloading operation.
| Inventors:
|
Choi; Dong Jin (Kyoungsangnam-Do, KR)
|
| Assignee:
|
LG Industrial Systems Co, Ltd. (Seoul, KR)
|
| Appl. No.:
|
134353 |
| Filed:
|
August 14, 1998 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
| Aug 16, 1997[KR] | P97-39033 |
| Current U.S. Class: |
700/217; 414/234; 414/252; 700/214; 700/215; 700/218; 705/13 |
| Intern'l Class: |
E04H 006/22 |
| Field of Search: |
700/217,214,218,215
414/231,232,234,252
705/13,404
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
| 4166546 | Sep., 1979 | English | 414/263.
|
| 5018926 | May., 1991 | Sternad | 414/253.
|
| 5024571 | Jun., 1991 | Shahar et al. | 414/231.
|
| 5267822 | Dec., 1993 | Paravia et al. | 414/239.
|
| 5469676 | Nov., 1995 | Colsman | 52/174.
|
| 5669753 | Sep., 1997 | Schween | 414/786.
|
| 5678972 | Oct., 1997 | Bockler et al. | 414/239.
|
| 5933354 | Aug., 1999 | Shimada et al. | 364/479.
|
| 5940481 | Aug., 1999 | Zeitman | 379/114.
|
| 6006148 | Dec., 1999 | Strong | 701/33.
|
| Foreign Patent Documents |
| 3819710A1 | Dec., 1989 | DE | .
|
| 19733907A1 | Feb., 1999 | DE | .
|
| 2260536A | Apr., 1993 | GB | .
|
| WO 90/07043 | Jun., 1992 | WO | .
|
Primary Examiner: Ellis; Christopher P.
Assistant Examiner: Butler; Michael E.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. Automatic parking system comprising a parking apparatus having pallets
used for loading a plurality of cars, a first motor for moving the pallets
laterally, a first motor drive for providing a driving signal to the
motor, a first sensor for sensing the presence of the car on the pallets,
a first encoding means for detecting a position of the pallets by
calculating a number of revolutions of the motor, at least one lift which
is able to move vertically for loading the car on the pallets and
unloading the car out of the pallets, a second sensor for sensing the
presence of the car on the lift, a third sensor for sensing the presence
of the lift on a respective floor, a second motor for moving the lift
vertically, a second motor drive for driving the second motor, a second
encoding means for detecting a position of the lift by calculating a
number of revolutions of the second motor; and
a parking controller connected to the first and second motor drives for
outputting position control signals to each of them, for receiving
feedbacks of a pallet position detect signal and a lift position detect
signal from the first and second encoding means, for determining a present
operating status of the parking apparatus on the basis of the position
control signal, the position detect signal, and a sensing signal from the
first and second sensors, for storing an identifier of each pallet and a
vehicle number of a car loaded on the respective pallet, for receiving
information of the presence or absence of a car on each pallet from the
first sensor, and for storing the information, further comprising;
a keyboard;
a mouse for supporting a user to select a specific region on a screen by
clicking thereon;
database means for storing each vehicle number which is input with use of
the keyboard by user, current date and time data which are received on
loading the car, data which have the pallet identifier, and information
data about whether the car is parked on the respective pallet, data about
a parking fee, data about a configuration of a loading screen, data about
a configuration of an unloading screen, and data about a configuration of
a calculation screen, in corresponding data fields;
means for displaying information data on the screen;
data processing means connected to the displaying means for selectively
outputting loading data, unloading data, and calculation data, which are
received from the database means, outputting a parking apparatus status
signal, a signal of sensing the presence of the car on each pallet
received from the parking controller to be displayed on a corresponding
region of the loading screen or the unloading screen displayed by the
displaying means, for receiving a signal of sensing the presence of the
car on the lift from the controller when the car is loaded on the lift,
for creating loading time data containing current date and time data by a
timer equipped therein when the user inputs the vehicle number with use of
the keyboard, for creating loading serial number data updated for each
time of loading, then outputting the loading serial number data to the
database means together with the vehicle number data, and for creating and
outputting a loading/unloading command signal;
processing means for controlling car loading/unloading, for receiving a
command loading/unloading signal and a vehicle number data signal of the
car to be loaded or unloaded from the data processing means, in case of
loading for receiving the loading command signal and the vehicle number
data signal from the data processing means, determining a pallet having
priority among the empty pallets depending on the presence data of the car
on the pallets stored in the database means, for outputting an identifier
signal of the pallet determined by the controller, and at the same time,
outputting the identifier signal of the pallet determined and the vehicle
number data signal on the displaying means for displaying on the loading
screen, in case of unloading for receiving the unloading command signal
and the vehicle number data signal from the data processing means and
outputting the vehicle number data signal together with the unloading
command signal to the controller;
means for processing calculation for receiving current date and time data,
the loading time data, and the fee data from the data processing means,
calculating a parking fee to be requested to a customer on the basis of an
elapsed time from the loading time and the fee data, then creating and
outputting a debit data signal according to the result of the calculation,
for receiving a fee payment data of the customer from the data processing
means, creating and outputting a credit data signal, for calculating
difference between the credit data signal and the debit data signal, and
then creating and outputting the result as a balance data signal;
a parking ticket issuer for issuing the parking ticket on the basis of the
loading serial number data, the loading date and time data, the vehicle
number data, and the identifier data of the pallet used for loading,
received from the data processing means; and
a parking ticket recognizer for scanning the parking ticket and outputting
the loading serial number data to the data processing means.
2. The automatic parking system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a
debit/credit displaying means for receiving the debit data signal, the
credit data signal, and the balance data signal from the calculation
processing means, and then displaying the signals to the customer.
3. The automatic parking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a
debit/credit displaying means is a Liquid Crystal Display of three rows,
each displaying the debit data, the credit data, and the balance data.
4. The automatic parking system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a
receipt issuer for receiving the debit data signal, the credit data
signal, and the balance data signal from the calculation processing means,
and then printing the data on a receipt.
5. Automatic parking system comprising a parking apparatus having pallets
used for loading a plurality of cars, a first motor for moving the pallets
laterally, a first motor drive for providing a driving signal to the
motor, a first sensor for sensing the presence of the car on the pallets,
a first encoding means for detecting a position of the pallets by
calculating a number of revolutions of the motor, at least one lift which
is able to move vertically for loading the car on the pallets and
unloading the car out of the pallets, a second sensor for sensing the
presence of the car on the lift, a third sensor for sensing the presence
of the lift on a respective floor, a second motor for moving the lift
vertically, a second motor drive for driving the second motor, a second
encoding means for detecting a position of the lift by calculating a
number of revolutions of the second motor;
a parking controller connected to the first and second motor drives for
outputting position control signals to each of them, for receiving
feedbacks of a pallet position detect signal and a lift position detect
signal from the first and second encoding means, for determining present
operation status of the parking apparatus on the basis of the position
control signal, the position detect signal, and a sensing signal from the
first and second sensors, for storing an identifier of each pallet and a
vehicle number of a car loaded on the respective pallet, for receiving
information of the presence or absence of a car on each pallet from the
first sensor and for storing the information; and
a manipulating unit having
a button unit having a plurality of number and character keys and a
plurality of function keys, for selectively inputting the vehicle number
and the pallet identifier or canceling the input information, inputting
information to perform function of searching a loading position or of
unloading a car out of a parking place, and inputting information for
resetting the function, by pushing the buttons;
a first displaying means for displaying the presence of the car on each
pallet;
a second displaying means for selectively displaying the vehicle number
information which is input by the input button unit, the identifier
information of the pallet on which the car is loaded, and a present
operation status information of the parking apparatus; and
a microprocessor for processing and storing the data input by the input
button unit according to a predetermined program, and at the same time,
outputting the data to the first and second displaying means so to be
displayed, for transmitting the vehicle number information or the pallet
identifier information to the controller, for outputting the car presence
data on the pallet and the current operating status data of the parking
apparatus to the first and second displaying means respectively so to be
displayed thereon,
the automatic parking system further comprising;
a keyboard;
a mouse for supporting a user to select a specific region on a screen by
clicking thereon;
database means for storing each vehicle number which is input with use of
the keyboard by user, current date and time data which are received on
loading the car, data which have the pallet identifier and information
data about whether the car is parked on the respective pallet, data about
a parking fee, data about a configuration of a loading screen, data about
a configuration of a unloading screen, and data about a configuration of a
calculation screen, in respective data fields;
means for displaying information data on the screen;
data processing means connected to the displaying means for selectively
outputting loading data, unloading data, and calculation data received
from the database means to the displaying means, outputting a parking
apparatus status signal, a signal of sensing the presence of the car on
each pallet received from the parking controller to be displayed on a
corresponding region of the loading screen or the unloading screen
displayed by the displaying means, for receiving a signal of sensing the
presence of the car on the lift from the controller when the car is loaded
on the lift, for creating loading time data containing current date and
time data by a timer equipped therein when the user inputs the vehicle
number with use of the keyboard, for creating loading serial number data
updated for each time of loading, then outputting the loading serial
number data on the database means together with the vehicle number data,
and for creating and outputting a loading/unloading command signal;
processing means for controlling car loading/unloading, for receiving a
loading/unloading command signal and a vehicle number data signal of the
car to be loading/unloading from the data processing means, in case of
loading for receiving the loading command signal and the vehicle number
data signal from the data processing means, determining a pallet having
priority among the empty pallets depending on the presence data of the car
on the pallets stored in the database means, for outputting a identifier
signal of the pallet determined by the controller, and at the same time,
outputting the identifier signal of the pallet determined and the vehicle
number data on the displaying means for displaying on the loading screen,
in case of unloading for receiving the unloading command signal and the
vehicle number data signal from the data processing means and outputting
the vehicle number data signal together with the unloading command signal
to the controller;
means for processing calculation for receiving current date and time data,
the loading time data, and the fee data from the data processing means,
calculating a parking fee to be requested to a customer on the basis of an
elapsed time from the loading time and the fee data, then creating and
outputting a debit data signal according to the result of the calculation,
for receiving a fee payment data of the customer from the data processing
means, creating and outputting a credit data signal, for calculating
difference between the credit data and the debit data, and then creating
and outputting the result as a balance data signal;
a parking ticket issuer for issuing a parking ticket on the basis of the
loading serial number data, the loading date and time data, the vehicle
number data, and the identifier data of the pallet used for loading,
received from the data processing means; and
a parking ticket recognizer for scanning the parking ticket and outputting
the loading serial number data to the data processing means.
6. The automatic parking system as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a
debit/credit displaying means for receiving the debit data signal, the
credit data signal, and the balance data signal from the calculation
processing means, and then displaying the signals to a customer.
7. The automatic parking system as claimed in claim 5, wherein a
debit/credit displaying means is a liquid crystal display of three rows,
each displaying the debit data, the credit data, and the balance data.
8. The automatic parking system as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a
receipt issuer for receiving the debit data signal, the credit data
signal, and the balance data signal from the calculation processing means,
and then printing the data on a receipt.
9. Automatic parking system comprising
a parking apparatus having a plurality of loading/unloading means for
loading/unloading cars, a driving means for driving the loading/unloading
means, and a control means for controlling the driving means;
a keyboard;
a mouse for supporting a user to select a specific region on a screen by
clicking thereon;
database means for storing each vehicle number which is input with use of
the keyboard by user, current date and time data which are received on
loading the car, data which have the pallet identifier and information
about whether the car is parked on the respective pallet, data about a
parking fee, data about a configuration of a loading screen, data about a
configuration of a unloading screen, and data about a configuration of a
calculation screen, in corresponding data fields;
means for displaying information data on the screen;
means for processing data connected to the displaying means for selectively
outputting loading data, unloading data, and calculation data, which are
received from the database means, outputting a parking apparatus status
signal, a signal of sensing the presence of the car on each pallet
received from the parking controller to be displayed on a corresponding
region of the loading screen or the unloading screen displayed by the
displaying means, for receiving a signal of sensing the presence of the
car on the lift from the controller when the car is loaded on the lift,
for creating loading time data containing current date and time data by a
timer equipped therein when the user inputs the vehicle number with use of
the keyboard, for creating loading serial number data updated for each
time of loading, then outputting the loading serial number data to the
database means together with the vehicle number data, and for creating and
outputting a loading/unloading command signal;
processing means for controlling car loading/unloading, for receiving a
command loading/unloading signal and a vehicle number data signal of the
car to be loaded or unloaded from the data processing means, in case of
loading for receiving the loading command signal and the vehicle number
data signal from the data processing means, determining a pallet having
priority among the empty pallets depending on the presence data of the car
on the pallets stored in the database means, for outputting a identifier
signal of the pallet determined by the controller, and at the same time,
outputting the identifier signal of the pallet determined and the vehicle
number data to the displaying means for displaying on the loading screen,
in case of unloading for receiving the unloading command signal and the
vehicle number data signal from the data processing means, outputting the
vehicle number data signal together with the unloading command signal to
the controller;
means for processing calculation for receiving current date and time data,
the loading time data, and the fee data from the data processing means,
calculating a parking fee to be requested to a customer on the basis of an
elapsed time from the loading time and the fee data, then creating and
outputting a debit data signal according to the result of the calculation,
for receiving a fee payment data of the customer from the data processing
means, creating and outputting a credit data signal, for calculating
difference between the credit data signal and the debit data signal, and
then creating and outputting the result as a balance data signal.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique of controlling a mechanical
parking system and calculating a parking fee, and more particularly to a
parking control system to which a computer, a control unit, a parking
ticket issuer, and a parking ticket recognizer are connected via a network
for allowing any required information to be used among them.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally in a conventional mechanical parking system, a car is moved to a
respective floor along hoistway with use of a lift, then parked in
respective parking space with use of pallets. In that system, a fee
calculator and a parking ticket issuer are separately operated such that
each operation of a parking machine, a parking ticket issuer, and the fee
calculator is performed separately.
For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the conventional mechanical parking
installation includes a lift 102 for lifting a car 101 to a respective
floor by a user, a lift driving device 103 for carrying the lift in upper
and lower directions within hoistway, a plurality of pallets 105 which
load a car 101, carried to a respective floor by the lift 102, to a
parking space 104 or which unload a car 101, already loaded to the parking
space, toward the lift 102, a manipulating unit 106 for manipulating the
car 101 to be loaded and unloaded, and a control unit 107 for detecting a
status of loading and unloading the car and a manipulating condition and
for controlling that manipulation of loading and unloading the car. The
operation of the installation will be explained below, referred to FIGS. 2
and 3.
At first, the process for manipulating the car to be loaded in the parking
space will be explained.
When a user loads a car 101 on the lift 102 of the parking installation, a
central process unit 304, hereinafter referred to CPU, finds out a
position of the car based on detect signals of various sensors, which is
input via an input unit 301, and then outputs guidance information through
an output unit 302.
Accordingly, the user designates a vehicle number and a loading position in
a car-loading mode after confirming its safety with use of a ten key 206
of the manipulating unit 106.
At this time, CPU 204 of the manipulating unit 106 outputs a control
command designated by the ten key 206, and the command is transmitted via
a communication unit 205 and a communication line 208 (RS485 or RS422) to
the control unit 107.
Following that, the control unit 107 monitors a position of the car 101
through the input unit 301 and, at the same time, controls the lift
driving device 103 such that the lift 102 can moves to a respective floor.
Then the control unit 107 controls the pallet 105 to be moved laterally
such that the car 101 can be loaded in a respective parking space 104.
After completion of the above loading process, a driver receives a parking
ticket written by hand or issued by a parking ticket issuer.
From now on, the process of manipulating the car 101 to be unloaded will be
explained.
In unloading the car, the user reads contents of the parking ticket and
calculates its fee by hand or by calculator. Then, after confirming its
safety with the manipulating unit 106, the user notifies an unloading
command by such a manner of designating the vehicle number or the loaded
position.
At this time, the control unit 107 unloads the car 101 in a process reverse
to the loading process, according to the unloading command notified from
the manipulating unit 106.
However, in such a conventional parking installation, because the driving
unit, the fee calculator, and the ticket issuer are operated separately
and therefore the user performs a driving operation and a ticket issuing
operation separately, there are difficulties for the user to manipulate
the system, and furthermore, there are some defects in accuracy of
calculating the fee.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an automatic
parking system in which the computer, the parking ticket issuer, and the
parking ticket recognizer are connected in a network such that each unit
exchanges information as it needs, and then the system controlling
processes of loading and unloading a car, issuing the parking ticket,
recognizing the parking ticket, and calculating the fee for ensuring
accuracy of the calculation and convenience of the usage.
In order to achieve the above and other advantages, an object of the
present invention is to provide an automatic parking system comprising a
parking apparatus having pallets used for loading a plurality of cars, a
first motor for moving the pallets laterally, a first motor drive for
providing a driving signal to the motor, a first sensor for sensing the
presence of the car on the pallets, a first encoding means for detecting a
position of the pallets by calculating a number of revolutions of the
motor, at least one lift which is able to move vertically for loading the
car on the pallets and unloading the car out of the pallets, a second
sensor for sensing the presence of the car on the lift, a third sensor for
sensing the presence of the lift on a respective floor, a second motor for
moving the lift vertically, a second motor drive for driving the second
motor, a second encoding means for detecting a position of the lift by
calculating a number of revolutions of the second motor; and a parking
controller connected to the first and second motor drives for outputting
position control signals to each of them, for receiving feedbacks of a
pallet position detect signal and a lift position detect signal from the
first and second encoding means, for determining a present operating
status of the parking apparatus on the basis of the position control
signal, the position detect signal, and a sensing signal from the first
and second sensors, for storing an identifier of each pallet and a vehicle
number of a car loaded on the respective pallet, for receiving information
of the presence or absence of a car on each pallet from the first sensor
and for storing the information, further comprising; a keyboard; a mouse
for supporting a user to select a specific region on a screen by clicking
thereon; database means for storing each vehicle number which is input
with use of the keyboard by user, current date and time data which are
received on loading the car, data which have the pallet identifier and
information data about whether the car is parked on the respective pallet,
data about a parking fee, data about a configuration of a loading screen,
data about a configuration of an unloading screen, and data about a
configuration of a calculation screen, in corresponding data fields; means
for displaying information data on the screen; data processing means
connected to the displaying means for selectively outputting loading data,
unloading data, and calculation data, which are received from the database
means, outputting a parking apparatus status signal, a signal of sensing
the presence of the car on each pallet received from the parking
controller to be displayed on a corresponding region of the loading screen
or the unloading screen displayed by the displaying means, for receiving a
signal of sensing the presence of the car on the lift from the controller
when the car is loaded on the lift, for creating loading time data
containing current date and time data by a timer equipped therein when the
user inputs the vehicle number with use of the keyboard, for creating
loading serial number data updated for each time of loading, then
outputting the loading serial number data to the database means together
with the vehicle number data, and for creating and outputting a
loading/unloading command signal; processing means for controlling car
loading/unloading, for receiving a command loading/unloading signal and a
vehicle number data signal of the car to be loaded or unloaded from the
data processing means, in case of loading for receiving the loading
command signal and the vehicle number data signal from the data processing
means, determining a pallet having priority among the empty pallets
depending on the presence data of the car on the pallets stored in the
database means, for outputting an identifier signal of the pallet
determined by the controller, and at the same time, outputting the
identifier signal of the pallet determined and the vehicle number data
signal on the displaying means for displaying on the loading screen, in
case of unloading for receiving the unloading command signal and the
vehicle number data signal from the data processing means and outputting
the vehicle number data signal together with the unloading command signal
to the controller; means for processing calculation for receiving current
date and time data, the loading time data, and the fee data from the data
processing means, calculating a parking fee to be requested to a customer
on the basis of an elapsed time from the loading time and the fee data,
then creating and outputting a debit data signal according to the result
of the calculation, for receiving a fee payment data of the customer from
the data processing means, creating and outputting a credit data signal,
for calculating difference between the credit data signal and the debit
data signal, and then creating and outputting the result as a balance data
signal; a parking ticket issuer for issuing the parking ticket on the
basis of the loading serial number data, the loading date and time data,
the vehicle number data, and the identifier data of the pallet used for
loading, received from the data processing means; and a parking ticket
recognizer for scanning the parking ticket and outputting the loading
serial number data to the data processing means.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic parking
system comprising a parking apparatus having pallets used for loading a
plurality of cars, a first motor for moving the pallets laterally, a first
motor drive for providing a driving signal to the motor, a first sensor
for sensing the presence of the car on the pallets, a first encoding means
for detecting a position of the pallets by calculating a number of
revolutions of the motor, at least one lift which is able to move
vertically for loading the car on the pallets and unloading the car out of
the pallets, a second sensor for sensing the presence of the car on the
lift, a third sensor for sensing the presence of the lift on a respective
floor, a second motor for moving the lift vertically, a second motor drive
for driving the second motor, a second encoding means for detecting a
position of the lift by calculating a number of revolutions of the second
motor; a parking controller connected to the first and second motor drives
for outputting position control signals to each of them, for receiving
feedbacks of a pallet position detect signal and a lift position detect
signal from the first and second encoding means, -for determining present
operation status of the parking apparatus on the basis of the position
control signal, the position detect signal, and a sensing signal from the
first and second sensors, for storing an identifier of each pallet and a
vehicle number of a car loaded on the respective pallet, for receiving
information of the presence or absence of a car on each pallet from the
first sensor and for storing the information; and a manipulating unit
having an input button unit having a plurality of number and character
keys and a plurality of function keys, for selectively inputting the
vehicle number and the pallet identifier or canceling the input
information, inputting information to perform function of searching a
loading position or of unloading a car out of a parking place, and
inputting information for resetting the function, by pushing the buttons;
a first displaying means for displaying the presence of the car on each
pallet; a second displaying means for selectively displaying the vehicle
number information which is input by the input button unit, the identifier
information of the pallet on which the car is loaded, and a present
operation status information of the parking apparatus; and a
microprocessor for processing and storing the data input by the input
button unit according to a predetermined program, and at the same time,
outputting the data to the first and second displaying means so to be
displayed, for transmitting the vehicle number information or the pallet
identifier information to the controller, for outputting the car presence
data on the pallet and the current operating status data of the parking
apparatus to the first and second displaying means respectively so to be
displayed thereon, the automatic parking system further comprising; a
keyboard; a mouse for supporting a user to select a specific region on a
screen by clicking thereon; database means for storing each vehicle number
which is input with use of the keyboard by user, current date and time
data which is received on loading the car, data which have the pallet
identifier and information data about whether the car is parked on the
respective pallet, data about a parking fee, data about a configuration of
a loading screen, data about a configuration of an unloading screen, and
data about a configuration of a calculation screen, in respective data
fields; means for displaying information data on the screen; data
processing means connected to the displaying means for selectively
outputting loading data, unloading data, and calculation data received
from the database means to the displaying means, outputting a parking
apparatus status signal, a signal of sensing the presence of the car on
each pallet received from the parking controller to be displayed on a
corresponding region of the loading screen or the unloading screen
displayed by the displaying means, for receiving a signal of sensing the
presence of the car on the lift from the controller when the car is loaded
on the lift, for creating loading time data containing current date and
time data by a timer equipped therein when the user inputs the vehicle
number with use of the keyboard, for creating loading serial number data
updated for each time of loading, then outputting the loading serial
number data on the database means together with the vehicle number data,
and for creating and outputting a loading/unloading command signal;
processing means for controlling car loading/unloading, for receiving a
loading/unloading command signal and a vehicle number data signal of the
car to be loading/unloading from the data processing means, in case of
loading for receiving the loading command signal and the vehicle number
data signal from the data processing means, determining a pallet having
priority among the empty pallets depending on the presence data of the car
on the pallets stored in the database means, for outputting an identifier
signal of the pallet determined by the controller, and at the same time,
outputting the identifier signal of the pallet determined and the vehicle
number data on the displaying means for displaying on the loading screen,
in case of unloading for receiving the unloading command signal and the
vehicle number data signal from the data processing means and outputting
the vehicle number data signal together with the unloading command signal
to the controller; means for processing calculation for receiving current
date and time data, the loading time data, and the fee data from the data
processing means, calculating a parking fee to be requested to a customer
on the basis of an elapsed time from the loading time and the fee data,
then creating and outputting a debit data signal according to the result
of the calculation, for receiving a fee payment data of the customer from
the data processing means, creating and outputting a credit data signal,
for calculating difference between the credit data and the debit data, and
then creating and outputting the result as a balance data signal; a
parking ticket issuer for issuing a parking ticket on the basis of the
loading serial number data, the loading date and time data, the vehicle
number data, and the identifier data of the pallet used for loading,
received from the data processing means; and a parking ticket recognizer
for scanning the parking ticket and outputting the loading serial number
data to the data processing means.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic
parking system comprising; a parking apparatus having a plurality of
loading/unloading means for loading/unloading cars, a driving means for
driving the loading/unloading means, and a control means for controlling
the driving means; a keyboard; a mouse for supporting a user to select a
specific region on a screen by clicking thereon; database means for
storing each vehicle number which is input with use of the keyboard by
user, current date and time data which are received on loading the car,
data which have the pallet identifier and information about whether the
car is parked on the respective pallet, data about a parking fee, data
about a configuration of a loading screen, data about a configuration of
an unloading screen, and data about a configuration of a calculation
screen, in corresponding data fields; means for displaying information
data on the screen; data processing means connected to the displaying
means for selectively outputting loading data, unloading data, and
calculation data, which are received from the database means, outputting a
parking apparatus status signal, a signal of sensing the presence of the
car on each pallet received from the parking controller to be displayed on
a corresponding region of the loading screen or the unloading screen
displayed by the displaying means, for receiving a signal of sensing the
presence of the car on the lift from the controller when the car is loaded
on the lift, for creating loading time data containing current date and
time data by a timer equipped therein when the user inputs the vehicle
number with use of the keyboard, for creating loading serial number data
updated for each time of loading, then outputting the loading serial
number data to the database means together with the vehicle number data,
and for creating and outputting a loading/unloading command signal;
processing means for controlling car loading/unloading, for receiving a
command loading/unloading signal and a vehicle number data signal of the
car to be loaded or unloaded from the data processing means, in case of
loading for receiving the loading command signal and the vehicle number
data signal from the data processing means, determining a pallet having
priority among the empty pallets depending on the presence data of the car
on the pallets stored in the database means, for outputting an identifier
signal of the pallet determined by the controller, and at the same time,
outputting the identifier signal of the pallet determined and the vehicle
number data to the displaying means for displaying on the loading screen,
in case of unloading for receiving the unloading command signal and the
vehicle number data signal from the data processing means, outputting the
vehicle number data signal together with the unloading command signal to
the controller; means for processing calculation for receiving current
date and time data, the loading time data, and the fee data from the data
processing means, calculating a parking fee to be requested to a customer
on the basis of an elapsed time from the loading time and the fee data,
then creating and outputting a debit data signal according to the result
of the calculation, for receiving a fee payment data of the customer from
the data processing means, creating and outputting a credit data signal,
for calculating difference between the credit data signal and the debit
data signal, and then creating and outputting the result as a balance data
signal.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above and other advantages of the present invention will be clearly
understood by describing in detail the preferred embodiment thereof with
reference to the attached drawings, in which
FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view showing a mechanical parking installation
according to the conventional art;
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a control apparatus of the mechanical
parking installation according to the conventional art;
FIGS. 3a and 3b are flow charts showing the processes of loading and
unloading a car, implemented in the control apparatus of the mechanical
parking installation according to the conventional art;
FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing an automatic parking system according to
the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an embodiment showing entire construction of a
parking system according to the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a flow chart schematically showing the entire implementing
process of the parking system according to the present invention;
FIG. 7 is a flow chart for explaining an initializing process of the
parking system of FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 shows an example of displaying an initial value setting screen
according to the steps of selecting and writing initial values in FIG. 7;
FIGS. 9a to 9c are flow charts for explaining a loading process and an
unloading process respectively, implemented in the parking system
according to the present invention;
FIGS. 10a to 10b are flow charts for explaining a loading operation and an
unloading operation, implemented in a control unit;
FIGS. 11a to 11e show examples of a loading screen, an unloading screen, a
search screen, and a calculating screen respectively;
FIG. 12 shows an example of a parking ticket.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the automatic parking system according to the
present invention will be described in detail with reference to the
attached drawings.
FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of a parking installation according to the
present invention. The parking installation preferably comprises a
plurality of pallets 105 used for loading a car, a first motor (not shown
in figures) for moving the pallets laterally, a first motor drive (not
shown in figures) for driving the first motor, a first sensor (not shown
in figures) for sensing the presence of the car on the pallets, a first
encoder (not shown in figures) for detecting a position of the pallets by
calculating a number of revolutions of the first motor, at least one lift
102 which is able to move vertically for loading the car on the pallets or
unloading the car out of the pallet, a second sensor (not shown in
figures) for sensing the presence of the car on the lift, a third sensor
(not shown in figures) for sensing the presence of the lift on a lobby
floor, a second motor for moving the lift vertically, a second motor drive
(not shown in figures) for driving the second motor, and a second encoder
for detecting a position of the lift by calculating a number of
revolutions of the second motor.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing entire configuration of the parking
system according to the present invention. Referring to the FIG. 5, the
parking control system includes a controller 107A which is connected to
the first and second motor drives and outputs position control signals to
each of them, which receives feedbacks of a pallet position detect signal
and a lift position detect signal from the first and second encoder, which
determines a present operating status of the parking installation on the
basis of the position control signal, the position detect signal, and a
sensing signal from the first and second sensors, which stores an
identifier of each pallet and a vehicle number of a car loaded on the
respective pallet, and which receives information of the presence or
absence of a car on each pallet from the first sensor and stores the
information.
Additionally, the control system comprises a manipulating unit 106
including an input button unit 206 having a plurality of number and
character keys and a plurality of function keys (a safe confirming button,
a canceling button, a loading button, an unloading button, a search
button, a confirmation button, and so on), for selectively inputting the
vehicle number and the pallet identifier or canceling the input
information, inputting information to perform function of searching a
loaded position or of unloading a car out of a parking place, and
inputting information for resetting the function, by pushing the buttons;
a first display 207 for displaying the presence of the car on each pallet,
which is made of a plurality of seven segment type light emitting diode
LED; a second display 201, which can be a liquid crystal display LCD, for
selectively displaying the vehicle number information which is input by
the input button unit, the identifier information of the pallet on which
the car is loaded, and a present operation status information of the
parking installation; and a microprocessor 204 which processes and stores
the data input by the input button unit according to a predetermined
program, and at the same time, outputs the data to the first and second
display so to be displayed, which transmits the vehicle number information
or the identifier information to the controller, which outputs the car
presence data on the pallet and the current operating status data to the
first and second display respectively so to be displayed thereon. Besides,
the manipulating unit includes a buzzer 202 for making alarming sounds and
a reset unit 203 for resetting entire units of the manipulating unit to
their initial status when there is an operation error or dangerous
situation such as car doors opened status in the parking installation.
The parking control system also includes a keyboard 507; a mouse 509 for
supporting a user to select a specific region on a screen by clicking
thereon; a display 504 for displaying information data on the screen; a
database 501d for storing each vehicle number which is input with use of
the keyboard by a user, current date and time data which are received on
loading the car, parking position information data (pallet identifier),
data having information about whether the car is present on the respective
parking place (pallet), data about a parking fee (including basic parking
fee and additional parking fee per 10 minutes), data about a configuration
of a loading screen, data about a configuration of an unloading screen,
and data about a configuration of a calculation screen, in respective data
fields; data processor 501b for selectively outputting loading data,
unloading data, and calculation data, which are received from the
database, to the display, for generating loading time data containing
current date and time by a timer equipped therein when the user inputs the
vehicle number with use of the keyboard, for generating loading serial
number data updated at each time of car loading, then outputting the
loading serial number data on the database with the vehicle number data,
for generating and outputting a loading/unloading command signal;
processor 501a for controlling car loading/unloading, which receives a
loading/unloading command signal and a vehicle number data signal of the
car to be loaded or unloaded from the data processor, which, in case of
loading, when receiving the loading command signal and the vehicle number
data signal from the data processor, determines a pallet having priority
among the empty pallets after reading the presence data of the car on the
pallets recorded in the database, which outputs an identifier signal of
the pallet determined by the controller, and at the same time, outputs the
identifier signal of the loading place and the vehicle number data to the
display, so to be displayed on the loading screen, and which, in case of
unloading, when receiving the unloading command signal and the vehicle
number data signal from the data processor, outputs the vehicle number
data signal together with the unloading command signal to the controller;
calculation processor 501c for processing calculation which, when
receiving current date and time data, the loading time data, and the fee
data from the data processor, calculates a parking fee to be requested to
a customer on the basis of an elapsed time from the loading time and the
fee data, then generating and outputting a debit data signal according to
the result of the calculation, which, when receiving a fee payment data of
the customer from the data processor, generates and outputs a credit data
signal, and which calculates difference between the credit data signal and
the debit data signal, and then generates and outputs the result as a
balance data signal. At this time, the control unit 107A and the processor
501a, 501b, 501c for controlling loading/unloading, processing data, and
processing calculation can be composed of ROMs storing driving programs
for each element, a CPU for executing the program, and input/output ports
for transmitting signals. Particularly, the RAM in the control unit 107A
stores the identifier data for each pallet, the current car presence data
according to the identifier data, the vehicle number data of the car
loaded, and an altitude value data of the lift so as to correspond to each
other.
And, the parking control system further includes a parking ticket issuer
502 for issuing the parking ticket on the basis of the loading serial
number data, the loading date and time data, the vehicle number data, and
the identifier data of the pallet used for loading, received from the data
processor; and a parking ticket recognizer 503 for scanning the parking
ticket and outputting the loading serial number data to the data
processor.
The parking control system further includes, besides of the display 504, a
debit/credit display 505 which receives the debit data signal, the credit
data signal, and the balance data signal from the calculation processor,
and then displays the signals on each corresponding row of three LCD rows.
The debit/credit display 505 is connected to the calculation processor
501c via transmission line, and displays a debit which is an amount to be
paid by a customer, a credit which is an amount already paid by the
customer, and a balance which is a change, such that the customer can
confirm each amount. The debit/credit display can be composed by preparing
a seven-segment type LCD, having a normal 10 digit structure, in three
rows, i.e., upper, medium, and lower rows. Therefore, the display in the
upper row displays the parking fee to be paid, the debit, the display in
the medium row displays the paid parking fee, the credit, and the display
in the lower row displays the change, namely the balance.
The parking control system further includes a receipt issuer 506 for
receiving the debit data signal, the credit data signal, and the balance
data signal from the calculation processor, and then issuing the data on a
receipt. Also, the parking control system includes an uninterruptible
power supply UPS 508 for continuously supplying power to the parking
control system in commercial power failure.
FIG. 6 is a flow chart schematically showing the entire processes of the
parking control system according to the present invention. Referring to
the figure, the process for controlling the system is composed of a start
screen displaying step S100 of displaying an initial screen for informing
the beginning of the program as soon as power is supplied to the computer,
a program initializing step S200 for opening the database, initializing a
system set value, comparing the cars loaded in the parking installation,
and beginning communication, and a main event processing step S300 for
processing main events such as a communication processing, a keyboard
event processing, and a mouse event processing.
FIG. 7 is a flow chart for explaining the initial process of the parking
control system of FIG. 6. As shown in the figures, the initial process is
composed of a form position setting step S211 for reading data about
arrangement and configure of display regions of the screens from the
database, a database opening step S212 for reading and updating display
values of each region of the screen from the database, a set value reading
and setting step S213 for setting optional data such as a kind of the
parking installation, a basic parking fee, an additional parking fee per
10 minute, a name of the parking lot, a greetings, forms of the parking
ticket and the receipt, a font style, and so on by a user, a parking
equipment setting step S214 for setting types of a communication network
connecting to the parking controller, a parking position display setting
step S215 for displaying the vehicle number data on a parking installation
display region on the screen, a controller information reading step S216
for reading the identifier of each pallet in the parking installation, the
car presence data corresponding to each identifier, and the vehicle number
which are stored in the controller, a controller and computer information
comparing step S217 for comparing data read from the controller with data
read from the database, a parking information displaying step S218 for
displaying determined data on the displaying region of the screen after
determining by giving priority of credibility of the data of the
controller when there is difference in result of the comparing step, a
parking installation status information requesting step S219 for
requesting information about operation status of the parking installation
to be transmitted from the controller, and a status response processing
step S220 for displaying the parking installation status information on
the parking installation status region of the screen.
FIG. 8 shows an embodiment of the initial value setting screen according to
the set value reading and setting step of the FIG. 7. On the setting
screen, the optional data such as the kind of the parking installation,
the basic parking fee, the additional parking fee per 10 minute, the name
of the parking lot, the greeting, the forms of the parking ticket and the
receipt, the font type, and so on can be set by the user.
FIG. 9a is a flow chart for explaining the loading process implemented by
the parking control system of the present invention. In the figure, the
loading process is composed of steps S311-S313 of displaying the loading
screen on a monitor when a car is advanced therein a decision according to
results by communicating with the controller, steps S314-S316 of
recognizing events of inputting the vehicle number on the vehicle number
inputting region of the loading screen displayed in the monitor with
inputting an enter key or clicking on the confirmation button, and then
instructing the car to be loaded on the parking installation to the
controller and storing information of the car, a step S317 of executing a
loading operation in the controller according to the instruction of
loading the car, a step S318 of instructing to issue the parking ticket of
a predetermined form while executing the loading operation, wherein the
parking position, the serial number, the vehicle number, the loading date,
the loading time, a kind of the customer, the parking information, and the
like are printed on the parking ticket, and a step S319 of issuing the
parking ticket according the instruction of issuing the parking ticket.
FIG. 9b is a flow chart for explaining the unloading process implemented in
the parking control system of the present invention. As shown in the
figures, the unloading process is composed of steps S321, S322 of
recognizing the parking ticket as a result of communication with the
parking ticket recognizer and reading its content written thereon, steps
S323, S324 of searching a car to be unloaded on the basis of the serial
number of the recognized information in the parking ticket, calculating a
parked period, beginning to calculate its fee, and then displaying the
calculated fee, the vehicle number, the loading/unloading time, the parked
period, the kind of the customer, the parking position, and the like on
the loading screen, steps S325, S326 of recognizing events of inputting
the enter key or clicking on the confirmation button by the user and then
instructing the car to be unloaded to the controller of the parking
installation, and a step S327 of executing the unloading operation in the
controller according to the unloading operating instruction.
FIG. 9c is a flow chart for explaining the search process implemented in
the parking control system of the present invention. Referring to the
figure, the search process is composed of a step S331 of clicking on a
search region on the screen with the mouse, a step S332 of inputting the
vehicle number of a required car or the parking related information of the
respective car with use of the keyboard, a step S333 for searching the
loading information of the respective car from the database, and a step
S334 of displaying the loading information searched from the database with
use of the display.
FIG. 10a is a flow chart for explaining the process implemented in the
parking controller. As shown in the figure, the loading process is
composed of a step S411 of receiving the loading operation command signal
and the identifier of the pallet on which a car will be loaded, a step
S412 of transmitting a position control signal, stored beforehand
corresponding to the identifier of the pallet, to the motor drive, steps
S413, S414 of operating the lift driving motor with use of the position
control signal and standing by until the loading operation is completed,
steps S415, S416 of determining the completion of the loading operation
when sensing the completion of the loading operation by a result of
checking of sensors, and then reporting that to the processor, a step S417
of determining whether or not the unloading command signal and the
identifier of the pallet used for unloading the car are received, steps
S422, S423 of returning the pallet to the lobby floor for automatically
standing by until next command in case that the unloading instruction
signal is not received, steps S418, S419 of standing by until completion
of the unloading operation with operating the lift driving motor with use
of the position control signal in case that the unloading instruction
signal is received, and steps S420, S421 of determining completion of the
unloading operation when sensing the completion of the unloading operation
by a result of checking of the sensors, and then reporting that to the
processor.
FIG. 10b is a flow chart for explaining the unloading process implemented
in the parking controller. Referring to the figure, the unloading process
is composed of a step S511 of receiving the unloading command signal and
the identifier of the pallet subjected to the unloading operation, a step
S512 of transmitting the position control signal, stored beforehand
corresponding to the identifier of the pallet, to the motor drive, steps
S513, S514 of standing by until completion of the unloading operation with
operating the lift driving motor with the use of the position control
signal, and steps S515, S516 of determining completion of the unloading
operation when sensing the completion of the unloading operation by a
result of checking of the sensors, and then reporting that to the
processor.
FIG. 11a shows an example of the loading screen, and FIG. 11b shows the
example of the loading screen in detail. As shown in the figures as an
example, the loading screen has a screen construction divided in a program
menu region 601, a parking installation displaying region 602, a function
selecting region 603, a vehicle number inputting region 604, a loading
information region 605, a confirmation button region 606, a canceling
button region 607, a parking installation information region 608, and a
parking installation status region 609, for processing mouse events
generated on the screen in time of loading.
FIG. 11c shows an example of the unloading screen. As shown in the figure
as an example, the unloading screen has a screen construction divided in a
program menu region 701, a parking installation displaying region 702, a
function selecting region 703, a vehicle number and fee displaying region
704, a loading/unloading information region 705, a confirmation button
region 706, a canceling button region 707, a parking installation
information region 708, and a parking installation status region 709, for
processing mouse events generated on the screen in time of unloading.
FIG. 11d shows an example of the search screen. As shown in the figure as
an example, the search screen has a screen construction divided in a
program menu region 801, a parking installation displaying region 802, a
function selecting region 803, a search selection region 804, a parking
installation parking situation region 805, a parking installation
information region 806, and a parking installation status region 807, for
processing mouse events generated on the screen in time of unloading.
FIG. 11e shows an example of the calculation screen. As shown in the figure
as an example, the calculation screen has a screen construction divided in
a program menu region 901, a parking installation displaying region 902, a
function selecting region 903, a debit displaying region 904a, a credit
displaying region 904b, a balance displaying region 904c, a calculation
completing region 905, a parking installation information region 906, a
parking installation status region 907, a canceling region 908, and a
receipt issuing region 909.
FIG. 12 shows an example of the parking ticket. In the figure, a serial
number recorded in bar code, a parking date and time, a pallet number, a
loaded position, and a vehicle number can be recorded on the parking
ticket.
Hereinafter, operations of the components described above according to the
present invention will be explained in more detail, referring to the FIGS.
5 to 12.
If power is supplied to each process in FIG. 5, the program in FIG. 6 is
executed, and then the initial screen is displayed on the screen of the
monitor 504 for informing the start of the program S100.
Then, the initializing process according to flows in FIG. 7 for opening the
database, initializing the system value, comparing the car to be loaded in
the parking installation, and beginning combination is implemented in the
program initializing process S200.
That is, as shown in FIG. 7, the form position is set by reading data, read
from the data base, about the arrangement and the configures of the
screens S211. Then, the values of each region of the screens are read and
updated from the database S212. After that, the optional data such as the
kind of the parking installation, the basic fee, the additional fee per 10
minute, the name of the parking lot, the greetings, the forms of the
parking ticket and the receipt, the font style, and so on by the user S213
and the types of the communication network connecting to the parking
controller S214. And the identifier of each pallet in the parking
installation, the car presence data corresponding to each identifier, and
the vehicle number, which are read from the database, are displayed on the
parking installation displaying region of the screen S215. Then, the
identifier of each pallet in the parking installation, the car presence
data corresponding to each identifier are read from the controller S216,
and compared with the data from the database S217. If there is difference
in result of the comparison, the data are corrected by giving priority to
credibility of the data of the controller and displayed on the displaying
region of the screen S218, the parking installation status information is
requested to be transmitted from the controller S219, and the parking
installation status information is displayed on the parking installation
status region of the screen S220.
The process for the loading operation will be explained referring to the
FIGS. 5, 9a, 10a, 11a, and 11b.
If a driver alights from a car after driving the car on the lift, the car
detecting signals, which are sensed from sensors, such as photo sensors or
weight sensors, mounted on the lift for sensing the presence of the car on
the lift, are transmitted to the controller 107A which is connected to the
sensors via transmission line, and then the signals are transmitted to the
data processor 501b.
Therefore, the data processor 501b outputs the loading information signal
to the display, for example the monitor 504, for displaying the loading
screen such as FIG. 11a according to the predetermined program. Then a
manager in a management office identifies the vehicle number of the car
loaded on the lift, and inputs the vehicle number on the vehicle number
inputting region 604 of the loading screen of the FIG. 11a with use of the
keyboard 507. The management office is installed near the lift so that the
manager need not move to the car for identifying the vehicle number. After
inputting the vehicle number, the manager clicks the mouse 509 or pushes
the enter key on the keyboard 507, on the confirmation button region 606
of FIG. 11a. Then the data processor 501b detects the confirmation, then
transmits a signal instructing the loading operation to the
loading/unloading control processor, and at the same time, automatically
creates data such as the serial number, the loading date and time, the
kind of the customer, and the like together with the vehicle number and
stores them on the respective data field, and at the same time again,
transmits those data and other data predetermined on the database to the
parking ticket issuer 502 so to issue the parking ticket.
In particular, the serial number among the predetermined data described
above is updated every time of the loading the cars, and the loading date
and time is automatically generated by a timer equipped in the data
processor 501b. And the kind of the customer has an information
representing a special customer or a general customer. For example, the
special customer is a customer who has prepaid a parking fee for one
month. In case of the special customer, the data informing the special
customer is displayed on the display 504, and can be automatically
generated by reading the vehicle number, stored in the database 501d, from
corresponding data field having the kind of the customer when inputting
the vehicle number. Of course, the manager must input the kind of the
customer at first time. Such information about the kind of the customer
should be considered in calculating the parking fee. In case of the
special customer, an operation of the calculating processor 501c, a
displaying operation of the debit/credit display 505, or a receipt issuing
operation is not needed to be performed separately until expiration of a
prepaid term. Therefore, the data processor 501b reads the type of the
customer information from the database 501d, then, in case of the special
customer, stops outputting signal of the calculating processor 501c, and
displays information showing the special customer on the loading/unloading
information region 705 of FIG. 11b. The predetermined data, stored in the
database 501d, are the kind of the parking installation data, the basic
fee data, the additional fee per 10 minutes data, the name of the parking
lot data, the greetings data, the parking ticket form data, the font style
data, a manager ID data, and the like, for example, as shown in the step
213 of FIG. 7. The data are input in the initial setting step of the
system, and stored in a respective data field of the database 501d by the
data processor 501b. The manager ID is numbers or characters for
confirming the manager who works in respective data and time of the
loading. The base fee is requested on every parking of the general
customer, and a final fee, which is made by adding the additional fee per
a parking period, for example 10 minutes, to the basic fee, is requested
in unloading the car. The name of parking lot data are a store name of the
parking lot. The greetings data are greetings such as "Thank you" for
being printed on the receipt or the parking ticket. The parking ticket
form data are selectable data of printed positions of the data or size of
characters and numbers to be printed. The font style data is selectable
data of the characters on the receipt or the parking ticket.
In addition to the data, the database 501d also stores data about a number
of empty pallets, a number of occupied pallets, the identifier of the
every pallet in the parking installation, and a symbol or graphic for
displaying the parking situation of the car, all of which are input from
the control unit 107A, and the parking installation status data, namely
malfunction status data, an automatic standby status data, the loading
status data, an on-unloading status data, and the like which are read from
the control unit 107A through the loading/unloading control processor
501a.
In starting or restarting the parking control system of the present
invention, the data processor 501b reads the predetermined data from the
database 501d as expressed as the step 213 in FIG. 7, and displays the
data on the display 504 as shown in FIG. 8.
The parking ticket issuer 502 is in a shape of storing the parking ticket
in a continuous roll. The parking ticket issuer can be in a shape of
cutting and pushing out the parking ticket in a sheet, and can be in a
shape of just pushing out the parking ticket which already has dotted line
to be cut. And the parking ticket issuer 502 prints information such as
the basic fee, the additional fee per 10 minutes, the parking ticket
issuing date, the loading time, the loading position or the identifier of
the loading pallet, the vehicle number, the serial number, and the like,
which are received from the data processor 501b, together with the
preprinted information. Additionally, in the parking ticket issuer 502,
the serial number of the loading can be printed on the bar code or with
the character and number data for processing the information rapidly.
The parking ticket has, for example, a form shown in FIG. 13. The contents
of "Parking Ticket", "the kind of the parking installation", "Thank you",
"the name of the parking lot", and the like can be included on the parking
ticket as printed, and can be printed after receiving the data, stored in
the database 501d already, from the data processor 501b.
If the parking ticket issuer 502 issues the parking ticket, the manager
sends the parking ticket to the customer or the driver, or otherwise, the
driver can receive the ticket directly. Then in unloading out the car, the
driver is announced to return the parking ticket to the manager, or
otherwise, the driver can put the ticket in the parking ticket recognizer
directly.
If the pallet information data, stored in the database, are received
together with the loading command signal from the data processor 501b as
described above, the loading/unloading control processor 501a generates
the identifier data of a determined pallet among the empty pallets
together with the loading operating command signal and outputs the signals
according to the predetermined program.
In this point, the program logic for determining a loading pallet among the
empty pallets is explained as followed. If the loading and the unloading
are simultaneously requested, the lift, which have finished loading, is
not returned to the lobby floor in empty status and then is not lifted
again for unloading, but the lift needs to unload the car, which is in
equal to or lower floor than the loading floor and then return to the
lobby floor. So, under such situations, a pallet equal positioned as or
higher positioned than the pallet to be unloaded is determined as a
loading pallet for saving an electric power consumption. And if only the
loading operation is required, a logic that an empty pallet nearest to the
lobby floor is selected is applied.
The loading pallet information data determined as above is stored in the
respective data field of the database 501d and, at the same time,
transmitted to the display 504 and displayed on the loading pallet
information region of the loading information region 605 of FIG. 11a.
On the other hand, after receiving the loading command signal and the
identifier data of the pallet used for loading, the control unit 107A
transmits the position control signal, stored in accordance with the
identifier of the pallet used for loading, to the motor drive, which
controls the motor, for driving the motor, which drives the lift as shown
in the flow chart of FIG. 10a S412. By operating the lift driving motor
with use of the position control signal, the lift lifts to a position
higher than the pallet used for loading in a predetermined height, then
unload the car to the pallet approached to lower portion of the lift, and
then returns to its initial position. The loading operation is completed
by such a process above. In the above process, the driving of the pallet
can be achieved by a separate driving motor, not shown in the figures, and
a driving control signal of the driving motor is generated on the basis of
a predetermined forward-rotation driving value and a reverse-rotation
driving value, which are already stored in the control unit 107A.
If both of an output signal from the vehicle presence sensor mounted on the
lift and an output signal from the vehicle presence sensor mounted on the
pallet are transmitted through the control unit 107A, "YES" divergence in
the S414, the control unit determines that the loading process is
completed S415. Then the control 107A generates a signal of reporting the
completion of the loading and transmits the signal to the data processor
501b, S416.
The program memory stores information such that the lift, completing the
loading operation, automatically returns to the lobby floor, or the floor
in which the driver loaded the car on the lift S422, and stands by the
next loading or unloading S423, if the unloading command signal and the
identifier of the pallet for unloading are not transmitted from the
loading/unloading control processor 501a, "NO" divergence of S417. At this
time, if the lift returns to the lobby floor, the lift presence sensor,
for example photo sensor composed of a light emitting portion and a light
receiving portion, senses that status. Then the output signal, informing
that the parking installation is now in an automatic standby status, is
transmitted to the control unit 107A. The control unit 107A transmits the
standby status signal to the data processor 501b in the management office.
The data processor 501b stores such status information on the respective
data field of the database 501d, and at the same time, transmits the
information to the display 504 so to display that information on the
parking installation status region 609 in FIG. 11a.
The information, displayed on the parking installation status region 609 in
FIG. 11a, includes the parking installation malfunction information, the
loading standby status information described above, the parking
installation on-loading information, and the parking installation
on-unloading information.
Numerous sensors can be used for detecting the parking installation
malfunction information, which are mounted in the parking installation.
Namely, sensors for sensing the car presence on the lift or the pallet,
sensors for sensing whether doors of the car are open or closed after the
driver loads the car on the lift for loading, and sensors for detecting
signals which are output from the encoders mounted on a rotating axis of
the motor for controlling the pallet position are connected to the control
unit 107A. Therefore, if the control unit 107A does not receive the output
pulse signal from the encoder in a predetermined period after outputting
the motor driving signal and the loading position command signal, the
control unit 107A determines that the parking installation is in failure,
and transmits the failed status information signal, informing the above
state, to the data processor 501b.
On the other hand, until the data processor 501b receives the data
informing the completion of the loading from the control unit after the
loading command signal is output from the loading/unloading control
processor 501a, the data processor determines that the parking
installation is in the on-loading status, and displays the status
information on the parking installation status region 609 in the display
504 of FIG. 11a, at the same time stores the information on the respective
data field in the database 501d.
In case that the loading/unloading control processor 501a instructs the
loading and the unloading simultaneously, if receiving a signal reporting
the completion of the loading operation of the lift from the control unit
107A S416, the data processor determines that the parking installation is
converted in the unloading status, and displays the status information on
the parking installation status region 609 in the display 504 of FIG. 11a,
at the same time stores the information on the respective field in the
database 501d.
If the car presence sensing signal is transmitted from the car presence
sensor mounted on the lift after the unloading command signal is output
from the loading/unloading control processor 501a, S417, and if the lift
is sensed to be returned to the lobby floor, "YES" divergence in S419, the
data processor determines that the parking installation is in the
on-unloading status, and then displays the status information on the
parking installation status region 609 in the display 504 of FIG. 11a, at
the same time stores the information on the respective data field in the
database 501d.
The process of the unloading operation will be explained referring to FIGS.
5, 9b, 10b, 11c, and 11e.
In FIGS. 11a and 11c, the function selecting region 603, 703 are selection
displaying regions ensuring the manager to select one function among four
functions of loading, unloading, searching the loaded position, and
calculating the fee.
If the customer wants to unload the car, the manager takes the parking
ticket from the customer. The manager inserts the parking ticket in the
parking ticket recognizer 503, and selects the unloading on the function
selecting region 603 of the screen by clicking the mouse. Then the parking
ticket recognizer 503 reads the serial number by converting the bar code
into electric signals with use of a bar code scanner. While the bar code
scanner is used in case that the bar code is printed on the parking
ticket, instead of that, any scanner which converts character data and
number data into the electric data can also be used. After that, the
unloading screen is displayed on the display 504. After reading the bar
code serial number, the serial number information is transmitted to the
data processor 501b via the transmission line connecting the data
processor 501b and the parking ticket recognizer 503. The data processor
501b reads all information, such as the vehicle number of the respective
car, the loading date and time data, the kind of customer data, and the
like, stored in the database together with the serial number, and reads
the current time data from the timer mounted therein.
Then, the data processor transmits the data to the display 504, and
specially transmits the current date and time data, the loading date and
time data, the basic fee data, the additional fee per 10 minutes data, and
the vehicle number data among the data to the calculating processor 501c.
Then, the calculating processor 501c calculates a parking period and a
parking fee on the basis of the loading information data, and transmits
the parking period data and the parking fee data together with the vehicle
number data and the current time data to the display 504.
The display 504 displays the parking fee data and the vehicle number data
among the data, such as the current time data, the parking period data,
the parking fee data, and the kind of customer data, received from the
calculating processor 501c, on the vehicle information and fee displaying
region 704 of the unloading screen. And the display 504 displays the
unloading information, such as the identifier of the pallet used for the
unloading or the identifier of the pallet used for the loading, the
unloading time or the current time, the parking period, and the like, on
the loading/unloading information region 705 in the loading screen.
On the other hand, the loading/unloading information region 705, on which
the unloading information and the loading information are displayed
together, can display the loading information and the unloading
information in case that there is any request for operating the loading
and the unloading simultaneously.
The calculating processor 501c transmits the calculated parking fee data to
the debit/credit display 505 for displaying the data on the upper row of
the display. Therefore, if the manager clicks the mouse 509 on the
calculation region in the function selecting region 703 in the unloading
screen of FIG. 11c after the customer pays the fee, the calculating
processor 501c reads the calculation displaying data from the database
501d for displaying the calculation screen of FIG. 11e on the display 504.
At this time, the parking fee data are displayed on the debit displaying
region among the debit, credit, and balance displaying regions of the
debit/credit display 505, and the other two displaying regions are empty.
After that, if the manager inputs an amount of paid money with use of the
keyboard, the calculating processor 501c transmits the respective amount
data to the debit/credit display 505 for displaying the respective amount
on the credit displaying region. Then the calculating processor transmits
the balance data between the paid amount and the parking fee to the
display 504 for displaying the balance on the balance displaying region
909c in the calculation screen in FIG. 11e, and at the same time transmits
the balance data to the debit/credit display 505 for displaying the
balance on the lower row.
If the manager clicks the mouse on the receipt issuing region 909 in the
calculation screen after paying the balance to the customer, the
calculating processor 501c creates the issuance command signal, and then
transmits the current date and time data, the loading date and time data,
the base fee data, the additional fee per 10 minutes data, the vehicle
number data, and the debit/credit/balance data together with the issuance
instructing signal to the receipt issuer 506 for issuing the receipt.
At this time, the calculating processor 501c reads the parking lot name
data and the greetings data from the database 501d such that the receipt
issuer prints the data on the receipt.
If the manager clicks the mouse 509 on the calculation completion region in
the calculation screen of FIG. 11e after sending the receipt to the
customer, the calculating processor 501c outputs the initialization
instructing signal for initializing the display 504 and the debit/credit
display 505 so to clear the debit/credit/balance data. The calculating
processor then outputs an instructing signal of converting the screen of
the display 504 to the unloading screen in FIG. 11d.
In the unloading screen, if the manager clicks the mouse on the
confirmation button region 706 or pushes the enter key, the data processor
501b generates the unloading command signal. Then the data processor
transmits the identifier of the loaded pallet corresponding to the vehicle
number of the car to be unloaded, which is stored in the database 501,
together with the unloading command signal to the loading/unloading
control processor 501a. Following that, the loading/unloading control
processor 501b generates the unloading command signal, and transmits the
identifier of the loaded pallet together with the command signal to the
control unit.
Therefore, for operating the motor which drives the lift and the pallet,
the control unit 107A, which receives the unloading command signal and the
identifier of the loaded pallet from the loading/unloading control
processor 501b, transmits the position control signal, stored in
accordance with the identifier of the loaded pallet, to the motor drive
which controls the motor. The lift is approached to the pallet for
unloading by operating the driving motor according to the position control
signal. And the unloading operation is completed after unloading the car
from the pallet to the lift and returning the lift to the lobby floor.
If the car presence sensing signal from the car presence sensor mounted on
the lift and the lift sensing signal from the lift presence sensor mounted
on the lobby floor are input to the control unit, "YES" divergence in
S514, the control unit 107A determines that the unloading operation is
completed, and reports the unloading completion signal to the data
processor 501b. After that, the data processor 501b determines that the
parking installation is in the automatic standby status, and displays the
result on the display 504.
On the other hand, if not acknowledges the loading position owing to any
reason like that the customer has lost the parking ticket, the manager can
help the customer searching the car. The manager clicks the mouse 505 on
the search region in the function selecting region on the screen. The data
processor 501b reads the search screen information from the database 501d
for displaying that on the display 504. Then the manager inputs the
vehicle number, realized by the customer, on the vehicle number input
region 804 with use of the keyboard 507. The data processor 501b reads the
loading information data, such as the parking position, the serial number,
the vehicle number, the loading data, the loading time, the kind of
customer, the manager ID, the basic fee, the additional fee per 10 min.,
and the like, which are stored in each data field in accordance with the
vehicle number from the database 501d, then displays the data through the
display 504. Therefore, though losing the parking ticket, the loading and
unloading operations are enabled.
The parking installation according to the present invention has advantages
of securing the accuracy for calculating the parking fee, and effectively
provides convenience to use it, by connecting the computer, the control
unit, the parking ticket issuer, the parking ticket recognizer, and the
like in a net work, and, as a result, by implementing the processes of
operating the installation, issuing the parking ticket, recognizing the
parking ticket, and calculating the fee together.
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